BackgroundInnovative, scalable mental health tools are needed to address systemic provider shortages and accessibility barriers. Large language model–based tools can provide real-time, tailored feedback to help users engage in cognitive reappraisal outside traditional therapy sessions. Socrates 2.0 (Rush University Medical Center) is a multiagent artificial intelligence tool that guides users through Socratic dialogue.ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and potential for symptom reduction of Socrates 2.0.MethodsA total of 61 adult participants enrolled in a 4-week mixed methods preclinical feasibility study. The participants used Socrates 2.0 as desired and completed the self-report measures of depression, social anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms at baseline and 1-month follow-up. Feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness, along with usability and working alliance, were assessed via validated measures. The semistructured interviews explored user experiences and perceptions.ResultsParticipants engaged with Socrates 2.0 an average of 6.70 (SD 4.57) times over 4 weeks. Feasibility (mean 4.26, SD 0.67), acceptability (mean 4.16, SD 0.84), and usability ratings were high. Participants reported small-to-moderate reductions in depression (effect size d=0.30), social anxiety (d=0.25), obsessive-compulsive (d=0.33), and posttraumatic stress (d=0.28) symptoms. Working alliance scores suggested a moderately strong perceived bond with the artificial intelligence tool. Qualitative feedback indicated that the nonjudgmental, on-demand nature of Socrates 2.0 encouraged self-reflection and exploration. Some users critiqued the repeated questioning style and limited conversation depth.ConclusionsSocrates 2.0 was perceived as feasible, acceptable, and moderately helpful for self-guided cognitive reappraisal, demonstrating potential as an adjunct to traditional therapy. Further research, including randomized trials, is needed to determine effectiveness across different populations, optimize personalization, and address the repetitive conversational nature.

Large scale combat operations (LSCO) are anticipated to expose service members to challenging, high-stakes scenarios with significant moral implications. Potentially morally injurious events and the psychological harms associated with moral injury among military personnel have been well-documented, but the possibility of positive experiences arising from morally charged experiences has been given less attention. In the present study, we explore a novel construct - the potentially morally elevating experience (PMEE) - that constitutes a positively-oriented parallel to the potentially morally injurious event. Previously deployed U.S. Army soldiers (n = 1,622) completed a cross-sectional survey that included assessment of three forms of PMEEs - morally elevating acts by the self, morally elevating acts by others, and moral elevation from experiencing the support of others. Associations between PMEEs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and problematic alcohol use were explored. PMEEs were found to be common, but not universal, among previously deployed soldiers. Moreover, PMEEs were negatively associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. No associations were observed between PMEEs and problematic alcohol use. Building on these findings, we propose a unified model of military moral experience during deployment. Findings and implications are considered within the context of future conflicts involving LSCO.

Protective factors in potential trauma for adolescent surf lifesavers.

Background: The Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) of 2011, compounded by the ensuing tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster, had profound impacts on the affected populations. While the immediate psychological consequences of the disaster have been well-documented, less is known about the long-term mental health trajectories of survivors.Objective: This systematic review aims to synthesize existing longitudinal studies to provide a comprehensive overview of long-term mental health outcomes following the GEJE.Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Using predefined inclusion criteria, a comprehensive search across PubMed, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and Ichushi was performed from July 2024 to May 2025. We examined studies assessing post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression, and psychological distress among GEJE survivors with multi-wave follow-up data where at least one assessment took place 1 year or longer after the disaster.Results: We screened 1,719 references and identified 30 reports of 27 longitudinal studies encompassing over 197,351 participants. The included studies varied in sample characteristics, measurement tools, cut-off criteria, and follow-up time points, making direct comparisons challenging. Across most studies, outcomes for PTSS, depression, and psychological distress showed an initial peak in symptoms following the disaster, which gradually declined over time. In some studies, PTSS appeared to show a sharper decline compared to depression or psychological distress. Variations were observed among different subgroups, including long-term evacuees, women, and older individuals, who tended to exhibit higher or more sustained levels of symptoms.Conclusions: This systematic review highlights that the GEJE has had enduring impacts on survivors' mental health. While PTSS tends to decline substantially over time, psychological distress and depression also decrease, albeit in a slower manner. Long-term mental health care should be provided, especially for vulnerable subgroups, to mitigate the disaster's lasting psychological impacts.

A scoping review on the neurosequential model.

Preventing mental health problems in mothers with a history of childhood abuse through reducing their risk of intimate partner violence: A causal mediation analysis in an Australian pregnancy cohort.

A multi-component psychosocial intervention programme to reduce psychological distress and enhance social support for women undergoing termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly in China: A randomised controlled trial.

Momentary dynamics of intimate partner violence and posttraumatic stress symptoms among women: The influence of positive emotion dysregulation.

Placenta Previa is Associated with Maternal Psychological Distress: A Mediation Analysis of Depression, Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Exposure to war profoundly impacts psychological health and may impair early mother-infant bonding, posing a risk to the long-term mother-child relationship and child development. This study investigated the direct and indirect links between cumulative war exposure and different war-related stressors (direct exposure, bereavement and loss, secondary exposure, and instability) and bonding impairment. Maternal posttraumatic responses (posttraumatic stress and somatic symptoms) were tested as mediators. A sample of 555 Israeli postpartum women (Mage = 33.23, SD = 4.63), with infants ranging from 1 to 12 months old (M = 5.16, SD = 2.92), completed measures of war exposure, posttraumatic responses, bonding impairment, and infant negative affect. Greater cumulative war exposure predicted higher maternal posttraumatic responses, which, in turn, were associated with greater bonding impairment. Simultaneously, a direct negative path emerged between cumulative exposure and bonding impairment, with higher exposure linked to lower bonding impairment. In analyzing the distinct stressors, bereavement and loss showed a direct negative path, but an indirect positive path (via posttraumatic responses), to bonding impairment. Direct exposure and instability were also linked to greater bonding impairment indirectly, via higher maternal posttraumatic responses. Secondary exposure showed no significant effects. These results highlight the dual impact of war exposure, where maternal distress undermines bonding while certain trauma exposures may elicit adaptive caregiving responses. Interventions that alleviate maternal posttraumatic distress while strengthening adaptive caregiving behaviors are essential for reducing the risk of bonding impairment in the context of war-related adversity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the young (<35 years) can be due to an inherited cardiovascular condition. The impact of SCD on the surviving family is significant, with high rates of symptoms of posttraumatic stress and prolonged grief. Using stakeholder codesign we developed COPE-SCD, an online community supporting families after SCD. The intervention includes a website and four online support sessions (general information on SCD, navigating uncertainty, coping with grief and loss both individually and as a family). Here, we aim to develop content and assess the acceptability of the COPE-SCD intervention. Participants were recruited from the Genetic Heart Disease Clinic, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia and EndUCD.org, a patient organization. Website and online session content were developed. Demographic and psychological measures were collected at baseline. "Think aloud" interviews were conducted to assess the website. Online sessions were assessed with post-session questionnaires and qualitative interviews. Both interview schedules and questionnaires were mapped to seven constructs of the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Interviews from both arms of the study were analyzed using a deductive framework analysis. Six "think aloud" interviews were conducted to assess the website, including feedback on content and layout. Twelve participants, in two groups, completed the four online sessions. Overall, participants liked both parts of the COPE-SCD intervention, particularly the opportunity for peer support. They found the intervention acceptable when considering the seven constructs of the theoretical framework of acceptability. Further work is needed to assess the effectiveness of the intervention as it is implemented into clinical practice. The COPE-SCD intervention provides a new resource for genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals supporting families after SCD.

Prospective Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Following Two “Armed and Dangerous Person” Campus Lockdowns

The United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service’s (NHS) long term plan established Maternal Mental Health Services (MMHS) to provide specialist psychological assessment and intervention for perinatal loss, birth trauma, and fear of childbirth. Perinatal loss increases the risk of psychological and grief-related distress. Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is designed to reduce self-criticism and enhance emotional regulation and has shown promise in supporting perinatal populations. This study aimed to evaluate an online group CFT intervention delivered in an MMHS for individuals after perinatal loss. The study includes data from seven groups. In total, 30 women attended a 10-week CFT for perinatal loss psychological intervention group. The group was facilitated online and included psychoeducation and CFT skills to support with perinatal grief. Participants completed a range of self-report measures pre- and post-intervention that assessed self-criticism and self-compassion, symptoms of perinatal grief, psychological distress, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Participants demonstrated statistically significant improvements across all outcome measures following the intervention. Psychological distress decreased ( B = −7.84, p &amp;lt;.001, d = 1.06), as did post-traumatic stress symptoms ( B = −17.80, p &amp;lt;.001, d = 1.21), grief-related distress ( B = −16.92, p &amp;lt;.001, d = 1.00), and self-criticism ( B = −7.24, p = .006, d = 0.73). Goal-based outcomes improved significantly ( B = 5.48, p &amp;lt;.001, d = 2.58). Effect sizes indicated large and clinically meaningful change across key domains. This study provides valuable insights into the role of CFT in supporting bereaved mothers within MMHS settings. The findings support preliminary evidence of the utility of CFT for perinatal loss. Future research can build on this by replicating with larger samples to further explore efficacy and incorporate assessment of long-term change. Acceptability within diverse samples also requires exploration.

Background: Problematic smartphone use has emerged as a growing concern among young adults and has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes. However, limited research has examined how protective factors such as resilience may buffer the relationship between smartphone addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: Participants (n = 491, X¯ age = 21.22 years) were students enrolled at a university in the Western Cape province of South Africa. They completed three standardized measures: the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale-10, and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5. Moderation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to examine whether resilience moderated the association between smartphone addiction and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Results: Higher levels of smartphone addiction were significantly associated with elevated PTSD symptoms across all clusters. Resilience emerged as a significant protective factor, exerting direct effects on several PTSD symptom clusters and moderating the association between smartphone addiction and the avoidance and negative alterations in cognition and mood clusters. However, resilience did not significantly moderate the relationship between smartphone addiction and the re-experiencing or hyperarousal clusters, suggesting that these physiologically driven aspects of post-traumatic distress are less amenable to cognitive or emotional coping resources. Conclusions: These findings highlight resilience as a key buffer in the relationship between problematic smartphone use and trauma-related distress. While strengthening resilience may mitigate certain cognitive and affective dimensions of PTSD associated with excessive smartphone use, interventions may need to incorporate strategies to effectively address hyperarousal and intrusive re-experiencing symptoms among trauma-exposed students.

The arrest of a parent can be a pivotal moment for their children. While providing opportunities to identify children in need, children may be placed at particular risk when physically present at the point of arrest. This scoping review synthesized results from existing research on the impact of witnessing parental arrest on children. Searches across three databases and two search engines yielded 6,456 references, with 29 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. One additional reference was included through citation search. The implications for children of witnessing parental arrest were twofold. Individually, children may experience emotional and behavioral difficulties, elevated posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, physiological stress, poor school performance, and developmental delays. Interpersonally, their family relationships, as well as attitudes to and perceptions of police officers, were negatively affected. Furthermore, children who witnessed an arrest were more likely to be exposed to other forms of violence, compared with those who did not witness this event. Studies typically relied on data from children to report their outcomes or reactions to the arrest. This scoping review identified potential variables that can influence the impact of parental arrest on children present. These variables should be examined in future research, preferably with primary data collected, with due consideration given to the data source that is relied upon to capture children's reaction/s and with the aim of generating context-specific knowledge. Implications for policy development and implementation are discussed.

Background: Pregnancy loss is a profoundly traumatic event that can leave lasting emotional and psychological effects. While subsequent pregnancies are often thought to ease grief, many women continue to experience unresolved distress. Objective: This pilot study examined demographic, reproductive, and psychosocial correlates of grief intensity after pregnancy loss among women in the third trimester of a subsequent pregnancy. Methods: Twenty partnered women who had experienced a prior pregnancy loss, now beyond the gestational age of that loss, were recruited from childbirth classes. Participants completed standardized measures of grief, social support, spirituality, post-traumatic stress, and depression. Results: Grief intensity was significantly related to education, gestational age at loss, perceived social support, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress and depression. Conclusions: Findings suggest that while subsequent pregnancies may soften grief, they have limited impact on PTSD and depressive symptoms. Targeted interventions remain critical for healing.

BackgroundAfter earthquakes, disaster survivors frequently experience acute psychological distress and require time- and resource-efficient, accessible, and culturally sensitive interventions. Integrating religious values into psychological interventions may enhance acceptability and effectiveness in such contexts.MethodsThis case series aimed to develop a brief religiously-adapted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention program sensitive to religious values for individuals experiencing acute stress symptoms. Seven earthquake survivors with acute stress symptoms participated. The DSM-5 Acute Stress Symptoms Severity Scale was used for initial screening, and the Stress Symptoms Subscale of the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) was used to assess symptom severity at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 1-week, 1-month, and 1-year follow-up. Participants received a 5-session, 2.5-week intervention designed in consultation with religious authorities and trauma experts. The study was conducted in March 2023.ResultsThe intervention appeared to contribute to a notable reduction in posttraumatic stress symptoms. On average, participants exhibited a 46% decrease in scores on the PDS Stress Symptoms Subscale following the intervention. These improvements were sustained across all follow-up periods.ConclusionsThe brief religiously-adapted cognitive behavioral therapy intervention for ASD appears to be a feasible and practical short-term approach for reducing acute stress symptoms and potentially preventing the development of PTSD in post-earthquake populations seeking religious-sensitive psychological care.

Little research has examined trauma exposure and mental health outcomes among gang-involved individuals, even though research has demonstrated a cumulative disadvantage in terms of violent victimization among this population. This study investigated lifetime trauma exposure, frequency of community violence exposure, symptoms of posttraumatic stress and depression, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among 32 former gang members in the United States. Participants (Mage = 44.4 years, 87.5% male; 56.3% Hispanic or Latinx, 31.3% African American) completed questionnaires online assessing these constructs before completing a semi-structured interview (n = 28) about personal mental health consequences of trauma/violence exposure. Results revealed exposure to high levels of discrete trauma (M = 10.2/24) and frequent community violence (M = "five to six" events), minimal posttraumatic stress (M = 14.5/80) and depression (M = 4.11/27), and high levels of PTG (M = 40.69/50). Trauma was associated with greater posttraumatic stress and depression, whereas community violence was associated with greater PTG. Thematic analysis of narratives showed all participants described profound experiences of growth, including new possibilities in life (82.1%), enhanced relationships with others (71.4%), greater appreciation of life (60.7%), increased personal strength (46.4%), and spiritual change (46.4%). Trauma-informed and trauma-focused therapy may be an ongoing need in this population. However, the possibility of PTG suggests targeted areas for prevention and intervention among at-risk and gang-involved individuals. Further research is needed to examine positive changes in response to a changing perspective and new life narrative among gang-involved individuals.

One third of all childbirths are experienced as traumatic, which is a risk for developing birth-related PTSD (BR-PTSD). Understanding factors that increase the level of BR-PTSD symptoms (BR-PTSS) is crucial for the development of adequate preventive strategies. Most previous research has utilised general PTSD measurements, which negatively impacts its validity. This study therefore aimed to assess associated factors for BR-PTSS using a birth-specific instrument. In this cross-sectional study, BR-PTSS was measured using City Birth Trauma Scale. Information on prenatal and birth-related associated factors and comorbid symptoms of postpartum depression was collected via a self-report questionnaire including Childbirth Experience Questionnaire 2. Independent significant associated factors were analysed using single and multiple linear regression. The results were controlled for comorbidity with postpartum depression. Independent significant associated factors were previous traumatic experience, primiparity, complications in pregnancy or childbirth, and a negative subjective experience of childbirth. When controlling for comorbidity with postpartum depression, significant associated factors were primiparity, complications in pregnancy or childbirth and a negative subjective experience of childbirth. This study identifies a negative subjective experience of birth as the most important associated factor for BR-PTSS and highlights the importance of modifiable factors. Our findings indicate that implementation of care acknowledging past trauma and primiparity, and evaluating the birth experience can help identify individuals with higher BR-PTSS. Future research should explore the effect on BR-PTSS when evaluating strategies focused on preventing and mitigating the experience of complications in pregnancy and birth, providing safe and supportive care, and promoting agency and self-efficacy during labour.

Experiences of peer victimization and bullying have been linked to the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), in part due to the heightened frequency and chronicity with which youth are exposed to aggression at the hands of peers. Less is known, however, about how other characteristics of these experiences, including polyvictimization, power imbalance, gender differences, and victim perceptions, may contribute to PTSS. The purpose of the current study was to examine the links between these characteristics of peer victimization/bullying and the development of PTSS during middle childhood. Participants included a sample of 284 third- through fifth-grade students (ages 8-12; 50.7% boys; 51.5% Hispanic/Latinx) who reported at least one experience of peer victimization over the course of the school year. Children also provided ratings of their PTSS. A series of linear regression models was estimated to examine the impact of individual characteristics of peer victimization and bullying on PTSS. Notably, each characteristic was found to significantly predict PTSS, with the exception of victims' perceptions of the intentionality of the aggressive behavior. Significant predictors were then examined in a multiple regression model; results revealed that polyvictimization and one component of power imbalance-popularity of the aggressor(s)-were the most robust predictors of PTSS when examined alongside all other characteristics. These findings build on previous research and highlight the need to assess for specific factors that may lead to development of PTSS among victims of peer aggression.